Georgia · zones 7b9a

When to plant onions in Georgia.

Sow or transplant between Jan 10 to Feb 23 in a typical year, keyed to Georgia's median last frost around Mar 20. A second, fall sowing fits Sep 15 to Oct 27. Dates below are state medians; your ZIP code shifts them by days to weeks.

The 2026 windows

Onions dates for a typical Georgia season.

1 · Start indoors

Nov 29 to Jan 12

About 6 weeks before set-out. Warm spot, real light.

2 · Set out

Jan 10 to Feb 23

Keyed to the ~Mar 20 last frost. Sow 0.5" deep, 4" apart.

Fall round

Sep 15 to Oct 27

Counted back from the ~Nov 10 first frost.

Harvest

~95 days later

~0.5 lb per plant over ~1 weeks.

Georgia spans more than one climate: Zone 8 is the most common zone, but the state runs 7b to 9a. That's why the planner works from your ZIP code's frost dates, not your zone: mountain and coastal gardens in the same state can be three weeks apart.

In Georgia: watch for

The pests that find onions here.

A middle-length season, about 235 frost-free days, means onion, bulb overlaps onion thrips for a stretch each summer. Check plants every week or two and treat early.

Onion thrips

Silvery streaks and curled leaf tips in hot spells.

Organic fix: Insecticidal soap or neem; hang sticky traps.

Onion maggot

Seedlings wilt; white maggots in the bulb base.

Organic fix: Float a row cover over the row; rotate beds each year.

Downy mildew

Pale patches with fuzzy gray growth in damp weather.

Organic fix: Space for airflow, water early in the day, spray neem.

White rot

Yellowing and dieback, then wilt; fluffy white mold at the bulb base and roots so rotted the plant lifts straight out.

Organic fix: No cure once it is in the soil. Plant clean stock, never follow onions with onions, and keep infested soil off tools and boots.

Your season math: Georgia gives onions about 235 frost-free days, and it needs roughly 95 days to a first harvest. It's a one-planting crop, so time that single sowing well.

Planting onions in Georgia: questions

When should I plant onions in Georgia?+

In a typical Georgia year, sow onions or set out transplants between Jan 10 to Feb 23, keyed to the state's median last frost around Mar 20. There's also a fall window: Sep 15 to Oct 27. Your exact dates shift with your ZIP code and microclimate.

When do I start onions seeds indoors in Georgia?+

Start seeds inside about 6 weeks before set-out: roughly Nov 29 to Jan 12 for a typical Georgia season.

What USDA zone is Georgia?+

Georgia spans zones 7b–9a, mostly zone 8. But frost dates, not zones, set planting time. The free planner uses your ZIP code's actual frost dates.

How many onions plants do I need?+

Depends who you're feeding. The crop page has exact counts per household size, or the free planner does the math for your family in about 60 seconds.